Swift Swimming to compete in U.S. Masters Championships

The Swift Swimming Masters Swimming Program will once again be attending the U.S. Short Course National Swimming Championships.

A total of seven swimmers from Swift Swimming, namely Percy Knowles, Andy Knowles, Nancy Knowles, Jeremy Knowles, April Savage, Elliott Knowles and Andrew Higgs will compete in the fastest Masters meet in the United States, at the famous Indianapolis Natatorium in Indiana.

May 2013 will start with a splash and end with the roar of engines in Indianapolis, with Spring Nationals happening May 9–12 and the Indy 500 on May 26. The U.S. Masters Swimming national championship event returns for a sixth time to the renowned IU Natatorium on the Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) campus. The competition pool is 50 meters (m) long and 25 yards wide. Two moveable bulkheads will allow simultaneous competition in two eight-lane, 25-yard courses. The pool is nine feet deep at the ends and 10 feet deep in the center.

The water temperature is maintained at 79 degrees Fahrenheit. Seven lanes of warm-up space will be available in the diving well, with six more lanes in the 50-meter instructional pool. At least one lane for swimmers over age 65 will be available at all times. With a seating capacity of 4,700, the natatorium provides more spectator space than any other permanent pool in the United States. Additional swimmer seating will be provided on the pool deck. More than 100 American records and 15 world records have been set in the pool.

“It’s a world-record-setting kind of pool – people usually swim very well here,” said meet director Kris Houchens. She’s heard that dozens of former participants plan to return. Many top-caliber swimming competitions have been hosted at IUPUI, including the 1984, 1992 and 1996 Olympic Trials; the 1987 Pan American Games; the 2009 ConocoPhillips National Championship and the World Championship Trials.

The pool is conveniently located downtown, less than a half-mile walk from many meet hotels and close to restaurants and cultural sites. Circle Center Mall and Victory Field, the site of the meet social, are a short stroll away. A total of eight miles of bike and pedestrian trails, connecting downtown hotels, cultural districts, restaurants and attractions, will be completed before the Spring Nationals. Festivities surrounding the 97th Indianapolis 500 car race will be in full swing in May. The 500 events associated with the 500 Festival will kick off with the best-attended half marathon in the United States on May 4.

As far as the Bahamian Swift swimmers are concerned, they will compete at their eighth consecutive U.S. Masters Nationals. Percy Knowles will compete in the 80-84 age group in the 50, 100, and 200 breaststroke; 50 free and 100 Individual Medley (IM) events. Andy Knowles will compete in the 55-59 age group in the 100, 200, 500 and 1,650 free and the 200 and 400 IM. Nancy Knowles will swim in the 55-59 age group in the 50 fly and 300 and 500 free events. Andrew Higgs will compete in the 46-49 age group in the 50 and 100 breaststroke and the 50 free events. Jeremy Knowles will compete in the 30-34 age group in the 50, 100 and 200 butterfly; 50 breast, 100 and 200 IM events. April Savage will compete in the 25-29 age group in the 50 breast, 50 fly and 100 IM events, and Elliott Knowles will compete in the 25-29 age group in the 50 and 100 free. All swimmers will also compete in several relays. According to Andy Knowles, their goal is to improve on their entered times, win more medals than last year and to visit more restaurants and eat more ice cream in celebration of their swims.